Israel's Antiquities Authority (IAA) has presented a rare coin from the Bar Kokhba Revolt period (132-135 CE), which was discovered during an archaeological excavation in Jerusalem's Old City.

The IAA frequently reveals interesting finds from its sites from around the country ahead of Jewish holidays and festivals - and this is no different, the announcement coinciding with the celebration of Lag BaOmer (the 33rd day of the counting between the two pilgrim festivals of Passover and Feast of Weeks).

Found at the Davidson Archeological Park in Jerusalem's Old City Jewish Quarter between the Temple Mount and the City of David, the coin is decorated with a cluster of grapes and the inscription "Year Two of the Freedom of Israel" on the obverse side. On the other, there is a representation of a date palm, as well as the inscription "Jerusalem."

A find of this nature inside Jerusalem is very rare, although a large number of coins from the Bar Kochba period have been found at sites outside the capital. According to a Foreign Affairs Ministry press release, "Dr. Donald Tzvi Ariel, Head of the Coin Department at the Israel Antiquities Authority, examined over 22,000 coins discovered in archaeological excavations in the area of the Old City in Jerusalem. This examination revealed that only four of the coins are dated to the period of the Bar Kokhba revolt."

The Jewish rebellion broke out in response to Roman Emperor Hadrian's declaration of the establishment of a colony called "Aelia Capitolina." His provocative desire to build a pagan temple to the god Jupiter on the site of the now-destroyed Second Temple on the Temple Mount, coupled with decrees restricting Jewish worship was the spark that ignited the Jewish response.

To read the complete articles, see:
Rare coin dating nearly 2,000 years, discovered in Jerusalem's Old City (https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/israel/1589201003-israel-antiquities-authority-unveils-rare-coin-dating-nearly-2-000-years)
Rare coin from Bar-Kokhba revolt unearthed near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280026)
Ancient coin tied to Jewish rebellion against Romans found in Jerusalem (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/rare-1900-year-old-bar-kochba-coin-unveiled-ahead-of-lag-baomer-627638)